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New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler fumbles as he is sacked by Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Yasir Abdullah during the first half of Jacksonville’s 24-20 victory Saturday in New Orleans. (AP Photo\/Ella Hall)<\/p>\nNEW ORLEANS \u2014 J\u2019Mari Taylor rushed for 78 yards and a 2-yard, go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, and the Jacksonville Jaguars scored 18 unanswered points in the second half to defeat the New Orleans Saints 24-20 in both teams\u2019 preseason opener on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Taylor\u2019s score, which gave the Jaguars their first lead, was set up by undrafted rookie quarterback Joey Aguilar\u2019s 43-yard completion deep down the left sideline to fellow rookie Trebor Pena.<\/p>\n
The long completion was the first for Aguilar, as the Tennessee product had just entered the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes those are better when you don\u2019t have to think as much,\u201d Jaguars coach Liam Coen said. \u201cYou can just kind of let it rip.\u201d<\/p>\n
Taylor and Pena also went undrafted. Pena signed out of Penn State. Taylor played at Virginia.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the end of the day it\u2019s all football, so take advantage of your opportunities and go out there and have fun,\u201d Taylor said. \u201cBig shoutout to the guys up there blocking for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
New Orleans had two more possessions before the game ended with fourth-string QB Hunter Dekkers under center. The first ended with a punt, the second with an incomplete pass as time expired on second and goal from the 2.<\/p>\n
Carter Bradley passed for 105 yards and short TD to tight end Hunter Long for the Jaguars. He also was intercepted by Jayden Price near midfield late in the first half, setting up a Saints touchdown.<\/p>\n
Both teams sat out most of their projected starters, seeking to preserve their health while focusing on evaluations of players trying to fill reserve roles or simply stick on the roster.<\/p>\n
Zach Wilson, acquired as a free agent by New Orleans this offseason, began making his case to become the backup to Tyler Shough. Wilson relieved Spencer Rattler in the second quarter and completed 11 of 16 passes for 145 yards and a short touchdown to rookie tight end Oscar Delp.<\/p>\n
Wilson completed three deep passes, hitting Bub Means for gains of 37 and 27 yards, and rookie Barion Brown for 28 yards. The QB, saddled with the \u201cdraft bust\u201d label as he tries to salvage his NFL career, is giving the New Orleans Saints reasons to take him seriously.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, I\u2019m here to compete,\u201d said Wilson, 27, now with his third team since being the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft. \u201cI\u2019m still young, but I feel like I\u2019ve been able to play in a lot of games and see a lot of different things, and so I feel like it\u2019s been able to slow down a little bit for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler fumbles as he is sacked by Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Yasir Abdullah during the first half of Jacksonville’s 24-20 victory Saturday in New Orleans. (AP Photo\/Ella Hall)<\/p>\n
Rattler, who entered training camp as the projected backup, completed 8 of 11 passes for 42 yards. He lost a fumble on a sack by Yasir Abdullah at the New Orleans 10, setting up one of Cam Little\u2019s three field goals for Jacksonville.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just tried to make a guy miss,\u201d Rattler said. \u201cI probably should have just thrown it away.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Saints took a 7-0 lead on Audric Estime\u2019s 9-yard run, one play after Ty Chandler returned the opening kickoff 86 yards.<\/p>\n
Nick Mullens started at QB for Jacksonville. He completed just three of seven passes for 33 yards and was intercepted on the Saints\u2019 4-yard line by Jaylen Ford.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was not a ton of positives in the first half,\u201d Coen said. \u201cCollectively, as a team, I was very happy with the response\u201d in the second half.<\/p>\n
Undrafted rookie defensive end Michael Heldman had two sacks for New Orleans.<\/p>\n
Injuries<\/p>\n
Jaguars: Right tackle Chuma Edoga suffered an apparent leg injury during a running play on Jacksonville\u2019s first offensive snap.<\/p>\n
Saints: Estime went to the locker room in the second quarter after taking a heavy hit to the knees from Jacksonville\u2019s Jabbar Muhammad on a screen pass. Rookie defensive tackle Christen Miller left the game shortly before halftime.<\/p>\n
Up next<\/p>\n
Jaguars: Host Carolina on Friday night.<\/p>\n
Saints: Visit the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday after spending the bulk of the coming week practicing in California.<\/p>\n
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